General Retail News

[rocketphish]

Ottawa to get ‘kiosk’ LCBO store, but only in Vanier or New Edinburgh

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen April 2, 2014 1:05 PM

OTTAWA — The Ontario government wants Ottawa to have one of the province’s experimental liquor stores inside a grocery store, but only if it’s in the Vanier or New Edinburgh areas.

The restriction is spelled out in a detailed request for proposals the Liquor Control Board of Ontario posted, explaining exactly what it wants in the locations it opens for a seven-store pilot project that’s to begin by the end of the year.

Although it’s billed as a move to make it easier for Ontarians to buy alcohol, the restrictions are so tough there won’t be very much difference between these stores and ordinary LCBO locations.

The new LCBOs are to be inside existing large grocery stores but they will have walls and lockable doors. They will keep their own opening hours. They will be staffed by LCBO employees, not the supermarket’s.

And in Ottawa, the agency is only interested in potential locations in a couple of neighbourhoods east of downtown that it considers underserved: an area bounded by the Queensway to the south, Rockcliffe Parkway to the north, Vanier Parkway to the west and Aviation Parkway to the east. Spots within 500 metres of existing liquor stores on Montreal Road and in St Laurent mall are out.

Practically speaking, about half a dozen stores might be eligible, on the commercial strips of Beechwood Avenue, Montreal Road, McArthur Avenue and St Laurent Boulevard. They include two Metros, a Freshco, a Farm Boy and a Your Independent. Vanier’s big Loblaw store is on the wrong side of the Vanier Parkway and out of contention.

The LCBO document says the agency wants a 10-year lease on space inside a supermarket, for either a 2,000-square-foot or a 3,000-square-foot template. It will also need access to a loading dock, secure storage space off the retail floor, and employee bathrooms within 45 metres of its space.

Other than the 10-year term, there is no indication of how long the pilot project is supposed to last, or of how it will be judged a success or a failure.

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ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa...only+Vanier+Edinburgh/9690998/story.html

[waterloowarrior]

here is the map from the Greater Ottawa blog
http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2014/04/0...nier-new-edinburgh-for-kiosk-experiment/

[rocketphish]

Zellers makes surprise return to Ottawa

By Robert Bostelaar, OTTAWA CITIZEN April 2, 2014 5:07 PM

OTTAWA — Zellers is back in Ottawa — though maybe not for the long term.

Corporate owner Hudson’s Bay Co. on Thursday will reopen a Bells Corners outlet that was among locations rejected by U.S.-based retailer Target when it took over most Zellers leases in Canada in 2011.

The store joins a pair of other Zellers stores still operating in Vancouver and Toronto and offering clearance merchandise from Hudson’s Bay and Home Outfitters outlets.

“It’s not the Zellers you knew,” HBC spokeswoman Tiffany Bourré told one news outlet. “It’s a redefined Zellers.”

The opening, however, has prompted speculation that no new tenant could be found to take over a lease that might have years remaining with property owner Loblaws, which has a grocery store in the plaza at Robertson Road and Moodie Drive.

The reopening has had little fanfare. One social media commentator pointed out that the replaced sign does not even align with the shadow of the old one.

Bourré could not immediately be reached by the Citizen.

Regardless of duration, the retailer’s return is being cheered by the business community in Bells Corners, a west-end neighbourhood labouring under one of Ottawa’s highest commercial vacancy rates.

It’s a pretty unique selling proposition for us here in Bells Corners to have a main discount centre for such a large HBC chain,” said Alex Lewis of the district’s Business Improvement Area.

Lewis said the shopping area was already showing signs of an upswing, with new office and retail tenants taking over space left vacant after traffic moved to new commercial developments in Kanata and Barrhaven. The 2015 arrival of the Department of National Defence in the nearby former Nortel campus is expected to provide another boost.

But the expansive Zellers location, though home years ago to a thriving Kmart, was a tough sell. Lewis said he’s been delighted to see its parking lot full during preparations for the reopening.

Zellers once operated 14 stores in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including a high-profile store on Sparks Street, near Parliament Hill, that now is a pub.

Target, meantime, has found its first expansion outside the United States more difficult than expected. In February it reported a fourth-quarter loss from Canadian operations of $329 million.

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© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/Zellers+makes+surprise+return+Ottawa/9692028/story.html

[rocketphish]

I overlaid the eligible grocery stores mentioned by David Reevely in his article, above. And having shopped at every one of these at some point in the past year I can say that none of them is overly large, nor has a chunk of floorspace going unused that they could immediately devote to this new mini-LCBO outlet.

[c_speed3108]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. It is odd that they excluded the Loblaws on McArthur.

The Food Basics is probably too close to the LCBO at St Laurent so it is probably out.

The Farm Boy has no hope of coming up with 2000 square feet unless it could get more of the strip mall so I don't see it happening.

FreshCo is also very tight. I have never been in Metro on Beechwood.

I think it is most probable that it would come in the YIG -although that's still tight. They would probably need some sort of small addition or something. There is a Beer store in that plaza so to some degree this could be a good fit. Also RockCliffe AFB redevelopment has made this neighbour very attractive for retail with very few decent vacancies.

The Metro on St. Laurent is the only other place I could see it happening. Again the place is tight.

To some degree this is going to come down to who can make the space for it...or who can acquire more space for it either through an addition or vacancies.

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. It is odd that they excluded the Loblaws on McArthur.

Might that Loblaws already have a Wine Rack?

[Harley613]

No it has 'The Wine Shop' which is a Peller store, 'The Wine Rack' is a Constellation store.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. It is odd that they excluded the Loblaws on McArthur.

The Food Basics is probably too close to the LCBO at St Laurent so it is probably out.

The Farm Boy has no hope of coming up with 2000 square feet unless it could get more of the strip mall so I don't see it happening.

FreshCo is also very tight. I have never been in Metro on Beechwood.

I think it is most probable that it would come in the YIG -although that's still tight. They would probably need some sort of small addition or something. There is a Beer store in that plaza so to some degree this could be a good fit. Also RockCliffe AFB redevelopment has made this neighbour very attractive for retail with very few decent vacancies.

The Metro on St. Laurent is the only other place I could see it happening. Again the place is tight.

To some degree this is going to come down to who can make the space for it...or who can acquire more space for it either through an addition or vacancies.

Looks like there's plenty of room to expand the Beechwood Metro if that's needed to fit it in. Just by taking the 13 parking spaces on the west side of the store, that's 2500 square feet they could add. (Measured on geoOttawa).

Beechwood also makes the most sense as it is its own community and doesn't have an LCBO. I'm also betting the New Ed and Rockcliffe crew aren't a big fan of going to the Vanier LCBO on Montreal Road.

[OTSkyline]

^ The reasons all of these grocery stores seem "tight" is because they fill up their shelves with product. But often times its rather easy to make room by taking out the bottom performing items and/or taking out multiple facings of the same item... I think many of these grocery stores COULD make the space for it and I think they WILL. I mean, it would attract more shoppers and bring them more money, why wouldn't they?

No grocery store is going to leave 1 or 2 aisles empty to show it has space for expansion...

[S-Man]

Can't talk now - I'm about to be inundated with a wide variety of new and exciting ways to buy Ontario wines and beers!

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

^ The reasons all of these grocery stores seem "tight" is because they fill up their shelves with product. But often times its rather easy to make room by taking out the bottom performing items and/or taking out multiple facings of the same item... I think many of these grocery stores COULD make the space for it and I think they WILL. I mean, it would attract more shoppers and bring them more money, why wouldn't they?

No grocery store is going to leave 1 or 2 aisles empty to show it has space for expansion...

For sure. When I say they are tight I am comparing them with newer grocery stores built in recent years. Particularly those in the suburbs. They are have considerably less square footage.

As you said. Room can always be made...

[citydwlr]

According to a posting on LinkedIn, Toronto-based John Fluevog Shoes is opening a location in Ottawa in July:

*JOHN FLUEVOG SHOES* Store Manager

Established in 1970, John Fluevog is a high-end designer for footwear and accessories. And if you were thinking, "Gee I wish I was managing the best shoe store in the entire Fluniverse" ... great news! Your dream just may have come true.... Send us a cover letter, resume and references. We'd love to hear from you. And thanks for looking at our website before applying: www.fluevog.com

(Soft opening scheduled for Tuesday, July 1, 2014)

Job Purpose:
Manage and team lead a new John Fluevog Shoes retail location in sales, operations, inventory, customer service, communication, training and coaching.

No other details are listed for a location in this posting. However, on a similar Craigslist posting for the same position, it indicates the Byward Market Square as the general area. Going through there today, Bang-On and Allegro are completely empty, and Lou's Boot Corner a little further down (beside the BeaverTails shack) is closing down soon too. So, those could possibly house the Fluevog shop.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

---the owners of Domus Housewares are retiring and the store closes on April 30.

Domus Café will expand into the space left by the housewares business.

[kevinbottawa]

Scotiabank is taking over the old Stacaro space at 700 Sussex; about two-thirds of the retail space on the ground floor. I guess they're leaving their William Street location due to the LRT project. I'd love to see something like the Yorkdale "flagship" branch. That branch is one of the best banks I've ever seen.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Scotiabank is taking over the old Stacaro space at 700 Sussex; about two-thirds of the retail space on the ground floor. I guess they're leaving their William Street location due to the LRT project. I'd love to see something like the Yorkdale "flagship" branch. That branch is one of the best banks I've ever seen.

I recall reading the notice about this at the William st branch and they described the move as temporary, presumably they will retain part of the site after LRT construction and reopen there like in the renderings we've seen before.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by gjhall

I recall reading the notice about this at the William st branch and they described the move as temporary, presumably they will retain part of the site after LRT construction and reopen there like in the renderings we've seen before.

Can I say this sucks, actually. I don't really like having banks at street-level where other stores that take advantage of our impulsiveness should go. I mean, it would be interesting to see the building on William Street replaced, but banks and pharmacies (necessity stores) should be located on side streets or on second stories to leave room at the street as they don't do much for a pedestrian experience.

Case in point: Claridge Plaza

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

---the owners of Domus Housewares are retiring and the store closes on April 30.

Domus Café will expand into the space left by the housewares business.

Oh, no Good the restaurant will expand into the space (it's a great space) but I liked that store. Guess I'll have to go stock up on pastry bags and kitchen supplies.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by defishel

Can I say this sucks, actually. I don't really like having banks at street-level where other stores that take advantage of our impulsiveness should go. I mean, it would be interesting to see the building on William Street replaced, but banks and pharmacies (necessity stores) should be located on side streets or on second stories to leave room at the street as they don't do much for a pedestrian experience.

Case in point: Claridge Plaza

Agreed, but the street presence on William is pretty minimal, and will be smaller still once the station entrance is in the mix. The dead frontage of a bank/pharmacy etc can also be corrected either by creative and lively window displays or having a nearby cafe/restaurant/bar put their patio in front of said bank/pharmacy etc. ... can't think of a good example right now, but I've seen it somewhere before.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by gjhall

Agreed, but the street presence on William is pretty minimal, and will be smaller still once the station entrance is in the mix. The dead frontage of a bank/pharmacy etc can also be corrected either by creative and lively window displays or having a nearby cafe/restaurant/bar put their patio in front of said bank/pharmacy etc. ... can't think of a good example right now, but I've seen it somewhere before.

Hopefully not window displays like those pictures of smiling people blocking the view of the interiors like what Rexall did at Claridge Plaza.

I like the idea of a patio in front for cafés or restaurants. It could even start a new type of temporary café during warmer weather, where they set up in front of windows or blank walls where the barista makes and serves the drinks right there to patrons sitting near them Sort of like food trucks!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by gjhall

I recall reading the notice about this at the William st branch and they described the move as temporary, presumably they will retain part of the site after LRT construction and reopen there like in the renderings we've seen before.

Well that sucks! I was hoping for a complete overhaul of the William Street building to accommodate some nice retail or a 2 storey restaurant with rooftop patio.

Why is it so important for Scotiabank to keep the William location?

Oh, and nice to see a new gym in 700 Sussex.